Clash Of The Titans 3D

In Clash Of The Titans, the ultimate struggle for power pits men against kings and kings against gods. But the war between the gods themselves could destroy the world. Born of a god but raised as a man, Perseus (Worthington) is helpless to save his family from Hades (Fiennes), the vengeful god of the underworld. With nothing to lose, Perseus volunteers to head a dangerous mission to defeat Hades before he can seize power from Zeus (Neeson) and unleash hell on earth. Based on the motion picture directed by Desmond Davis and written by Beverley Cross. (Gary Reber)

The three-disc package includes the Blu-ray Disc™ release, the Blu-ray 3D release, and the DVD/digital copy combo disc of the film. Special features on the Blu-ray Disc include Maximum Movie Mode (Bonus View) with a focus on monsters, gods, and man; the featurette Sam Worthington: An Action Hero For The Ages (HD 07:56); an alternate ending (HD 05:23); six deleted scenes (HD 18:10); BD Live functionality; D-BOX Motion Code™, and up-front previews.

The 3-D 2.40:1 1080p MVC picture, as with the previous 2D reviewed in Issue 149, is pristine throughout, with sharp and clear images and no distracting image crosstalk or ghosting. The film was shown theatrically in a digital cinema 3-D conversion format, which is the format on this 3-D Blu-ray release. Some image smearing is evident upon critical viewing, but generally the imagery is exciting visually. The color palette is slightly undersaturated, for a grayish, bleak appearance. Hues are generally natural in tone, with realistic fleshtones. Rich greens characterize forests, in contrast to the bleak-looking deserts and wastelands. At times more colorful hues are exhibited, which adds a breath of vividness. Contrast is not particularly strong, but blacks can be solid and deep and shadow delineation revealing. Image depth is generally good. Except for scenes with the gods, which are intentionally stylized with a smeared effect, resolution is quite good, with sharply defined images, especially notable during close-up of facial features and object textures. As for 3D, the opening logo credits that float over vast star fields depicting the constellations deliver an effective perception of depth and scope. But as the film unfolds, there is no consistent level of dimensional depth. Instead, most scenes and extended sequences disappoint in terms of projecting dynamic 3-D content. While characters appear offset from their backgrounds, the sense of depth appears, at times, flattened, and other times, nicely dimensional. At worst, the imagery appears just a flat as the 2-D version but darker and less transparent. Those few scenes that approach decent 3D, such as the world of the gods, the giant scorpion motion effects, and the Cracken destruction of the City of Argos, still feel constrained and non-engaging. Overall, while the 2-D version exhibited an engaging picture experience with superb production design and costumes, the 3-D version is weak in delivering enhanced dimensional depth and perspective. (Gary Reber)

The DTS-HD Master Audio™ 5.1-channel soundtrack is dynamic sounding with a wonderful,
expansive orchestral and choral music score that extends widely across the soundstage, with excellent depth and presence in the surrounds, to provide an effective sense of holosonic® envelopment. The recording quality of the music is good, with excellent instrument timbre delineation. Foley effects are perfectly executed, with convincing sounds of swords, movements, and debris heard throughout the soundfield. Medussa's lair is a masterful work of sound effects and Foley. Atmospheric sound effects are well executed as well, perfectly complementing the fantasy imagery and settings. Low-frequency energy is often intense and effectively dynamic, especially during the release of the Cracken beast and the intense roar of the beast. Bass extension extends to below 25 Hz in the .1 LFE channel when the beast destroys the City of Argos. While the soundtrack is extremely active with sound effects and Foley sounds, dialogue intelligibility remains remarkably intact, though, at times ADR misses the mark in terms of spatial integration. The D-BOX Motion Code encoding is excellent and enhances the dynamic visceral impact of the sonics and visuals, delivering greater excitement. This is a high-energy, intense soundtrack that will challenge your home theatre system. SPL is often at the upper limits of theatrical sound levels. This is a soundtrack that won't disappoint. (Gary Reber)